Modern Fairytale
by naley1223
Summary: Neal and Emma stay together and because they get married and are true loves even though they aren't in Storybrooke the curse is broken early because The savior found true love and happiness.
1. History in the Making

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. If I did, the show would have been a lot different.

He wasn't sure when it happened. When he left Baelfire behind. When he left happy ever after and magic behind. He missed home. He was on that island for so long he had forgotten what real company felt like. It wasn't the small little hut he missed. It was his papa. But even with his anger at his father, he did wish for his father to be happy. To be able to live the rest of his life happy. When Baelfire returned to the land without magic, it was even scarier than when he first got there and he had hoped he would end up in the place called England. But this time he was in a place called the United States. He had been on the streets for a few years before he met _her. _ After he met Emma, he had been happier than he had been in years. The last time he had felt this at home was his father in that small hut. He felt for her when he learned her story. She had grown up in this world. She didn't believe in magic but she believed in _him, in them. _ He hadn't had anyone but his father believes in him in years. They worked together and he promised her he would take care of her. Then they decided to go find their own home and then after they got to their apartment in Tallahassee, they found out she was pregnant. He was going to be a father. He was going to be a _papa_. He told Emma that they would be okay and he meant it. They had been living in Tallahassee for a while now and Emma had the baby. They had a little boy. Emma and he had taken the time to find a name for him. Emma brought up the name Henry. She stated that it was a good name for him because Henry meant home and they had both found their home with each other.

Henry was about 8 months old now. Emma stayed home with him while Neal worked to bring food onto the table and to keep a roof over their head. Neal felt that Emma and Henry deserved a big house, with good things but Emma seemed happy enough with the little they had. Neal had stopped having nightmares about portals, now they were about losing Emma and Henry and he couldn't do that. They were his whole world.

Neal shook himself out of his reverie when he looked up, he was in front of the apartment door. He smiled when he heard Emma's voice crooning to Henry. The favorite part of his day was coming home to his two favorite people. He stepped into the house and saw Emma was trying to convince Henry to eat some sweet potatoes.

"Hey Baby, how was your day?" Neal asked Emma as he put down his bag and came to give Emma a kiss on the lips and then he dropped his lips to Henry's head.

Emma looked up when she saw Neal "HI, your home. It was good, but much better now that you're back." Emma said before returning Neal's kiss.

Henry just babbled to Neal as if he was telling Neal bout what him and mama had done.


	2. Wide Awake

_Disclaimer: Do not own the characters, the show would have been a lot different if I did. Also, since Storybrooke is fictional the miles between Tallahassee and Storybrooke are a number I made up. I did look up to see that Tallahassee is 1193 miles from Portland, Maine. _

_6 months Ago_

Emma and Neal had started taking walks when they found out she was pregnant. That is what the doctor at the clinic had said would be good for the baby. Emma and Neal didn't have insurance when they first started so they found a clinic that helped keep Emma up with her preventative care with the baby. Emma and Neal had both been scared. It was a few days before Emma was due when she started to feel a twinge in her stomach but it was new and she had never felt that before.

Neal and Emma went to the hospital after Emma told him what was going on. They were able to call the doctor that had been treating her. She was in labor. The nurses shared with Emma and Neal that it was okay since the baby was fully developed and that it was normal for the baby to come a few days before or after the due date. The maternity nurses explained that the due date is always an estimate. They admitted Emma and told her that they would be coming to check in on her periodically because she was not fully dilated yet. After about 10 hours, Emma was fully dilated and was ready to start pushing. After about 30 minutes of pushing, the baby arrived.

Emma couldn't hear anything "Is my baby okay" Emma glanced at Neal worried for not hearing any noises. "Why is the baby quiet," Emma asked again right before the baby started crying. Emma and Neal both let out a relieved sigh. The nurse looked at the two of them, and said: "Congratulations, you have a boy and he's perfectly healthy." Neal's eyes got wide "I... I have a son?" Neal got out. The nurse handed the baby to Emma. Emma took the baby who was still red with blood and whatever else and kissed him. Emma teared up, she and Neal had their own family now. They had a baby that would have all the things they didn't get to have to the best of their ability. Neal sat by Emma and kissed her head and looked lovingly at the baby. "So…what should we name him?" Neal asked Emma.

Emma had looked through a lot of books trying to find a name for him. Neal stated he'd be okay with anything but Emma wanted to give their child a good strong name. She had found different names for boys and girls. But looking at him now she knew what name he needed. What name he deserved. "Henry, his name is Henry. "Emma looked at Neal and smiled "I read somewhere that Henry meant home. Emma Swan did what any normal mother did which is kiss her son, but unbeknownst to the little family of three that one simple, normal kiss, woke a whole town up that was 2500 miles away 10 years early.

**MEANWHILE IN STORYBROOKE, MAINE**

Mary Margaret was teaching her class as she had done every day for as long as she could remember. She taught them how to make birdhouses and how if you love someone, they will always come back to you. She loved her students and loved being a teacher. But there had always been something missing. She wasn't sure what had been missing, but something was. Mary Margaret lived alone but to help with her alone time, she also volunteered at the hospital for those who needed some companionship. There was one room, where there was this man that for some unknown reason she was drawn to and she could come and sit with him for about an hour before her shift ended. There was no one else that ever-visited John Doe. Today as she was getting ready to leave somehow with no windows open, she felt this rush of wind and by looks of it everyone else in the hospital felt it and though she couldn't see, everyone else in town felt it as well.

Snow White looked around and realized that the curse was broken, she felt as if those 28 years went fast but she wasn't sure. But she turned and saw David in the hospital bed, she went back to his bed and watched as he woke up. The last thing that David remembered was putting Emma in the wardrobe and he had remembered that he waited until he had not seen her in the wardrobe before he closed his eyes. He didn't want to open his eyes but he felt a wind brush against him and then he heard footsteps coming closer. David opened his eyes but was not sure where he was but as he turned, he saw Snow. "Snow, you're alright. What about the curse?"

"I am alright. The curse was cast, we've been here in Storybrooke for I don't how long, my guess is 28 years since the curse broke. She sent us to a land without magic."

"A land without magic? "It was hard to think but David was concerned more with their daughter. "Emma, Where's Emma." Snow shook her head "I don't know. I figured the curse is broken but I don't remember seeing or meeting an Emma. Maybe Regina knows. We'll have to do something about her. Are you well enough to get up?" David undid the medical device that was hooked up to him. David sat up slowly and then stood up slowly and then looked down. "I think, I'm gonna need some clothes." Snow looked at David in the gown and nodded she went and found some scrubs for him to wear. "Well find you other clothes later." And as they turned, they saw there were others that were looking at them. Snow realized it was for guidance.

"For those that are able, let's start a list of where to find family and loved ones. That should be our first goal. I know we're all a bit confused but let's do one step at a time okay?" The others agreed. Then she looked at David "Now, Let's go find our daughter."


	3. With Arms Wide Open

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters the show would have been a lot different If I did. Reminder this is an AU from canon

Mr. Gold ran a pawn shop and he didn't interact much with other people. Which is how he liked It and they liked it. The only time he really interacted with others was when he was collecting the rent for the small town.

Today Mr. Gold was working in his pawn shop. Not many came in, mostly just the mayor and Mr. Gold had no fear of her but he liked that she seemed to fear him and would always ask him interesting questions as if she thought he was someone else.

He looked up when he felt the wind swept into his shop and Mr. Gold was now back to being Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstiltskin looked around and was surprised. He walked out the door to look at the rest of the town. It seemed as if everyone was waking up. He saw people seeing others and embracing their long-lost loved ones. Rumpelstiltskin waked back into this shop and started to find a way to find his son. But as he thought he didn't remember any Emma's in town. So, he thought how did the curse break if the savior was not _here_. Little did he know at the same time he woke up and started looking for his child that he lost years ago. His child had a son of his own.

_Tallahassee Hospital_

Neal was smiling at Emma holding Henry. He had never felt so complete. This is what a family was meant to be. Emma looked up at him. "Do you want to hold him?"

Neal's eyes shot up to Emma's He had never held a child. He went with Emma to all the appointments he could when he wasn't at work and her Lamaze classes and learned how to hold a baby but those were not real. His son was real and he was breakable and he was counting on Neal.

Neal nodded. Neal took the baby from Emma and sat down looking down at his son. Looking at henry, he couldn't help but wonder why his father found it so easy to let him go. Now that he had Henry, he never wanted to let him go. Neal glanced over at Emma and saw she fell asleep. She must be exhausted. Neal promised Henry in that moment and for himself that Henry would never be without his father. "Hey buddy, I'm your… Papa. And I will never ever leave you. You are going to have everything your mama and I didn't have."


	4. Here Without You

_Storybrooke 8 Months Ago_

Snow White and David gathered as many people as they could in the town hall. They had some people write their names down on a list when they cam to try and connect them with their family members. They figure that was the quickest way, especially since Regina wasn't being particularly forthcoming. Graham who had been the sheriff in town, made sure Regina was locked up in the jail cell. Mary Margaret figured they could deal with her later.

The had a more pressing matter. It was not 28 years later. It was only 18 years later and Regina seemed just as surprised that the curse broke at all. She maybe thought it would happen in 28 years but Snow figured it was wishful thinking on Regina's part. She was waiting for David as she asked, but she kept thinking in her head, what Regina said. That it was Rumplestiskin who created the curse but Regina stated he was looking for some time but she did not know what. So, she was going to wait for David and they'd leave the dwarves to take care of the town hall, while they dealt with Rumplestiskin and if he had any idea why the curse broke early. And whatever he brought with that purple cloud.

Rumplestiskin was trying to perfect his potion so he could cross the town line and look for his boy without forgetting who he was. He figured that was the first stop and then the second would be trying to find exactly where Baelfire was. He looked up when he heard the door open. It was the King and Queen. "Your majesties, what can I do for you?" Rumplestiskin asked.

Snow and David looked at each other. "Regina said you created this curse, and you were the one to tell us that our daughter is the key but as far as we can tell there is no Emma in town , so how did the curse break and how did it break before the 28 years was up?" Snow asked him.

Rumplestiskin stopped for a moment. He was confused. He hadn't looked at the calendar, he didn't know it hadn't been 28 years. He didn't even question that it wasn't 28 years later, he just cared about finding Baelfire' "It hasn't been 28 years?" But he didn't need an answer really, it made sense, well it didn't but for someone who had already lived for centuries even 18 years seemed like a blink of an eye. "I don't know how dearie. Maybe you should just be happy that its broken and you don't have to be apart or deal with Regina over your head."

David listed as Snow talked and then he steeped closer to Rumplestiskin. "Look I wasn't around much during the curse obviously, but according to Snow you didn't really do anything dirty that she could tell." David stopped and he saw the maps of the county out. "What exactly are you looking for? You haven't denied creating the curse. But why would you want to come to a land with no magic. It seems counterproductive."

Rumplestiskin eyes narrowed. David…Prince Charming was too smart for his own good. And this was still Prince Charming, due to him being in a coma, he did not really have memories of his cursed self. "Don't worry about who I'm looking for." Then he stopped and realized that he said who not what.

"Who?" Snow parroted. "You're looking for a person. How are you going to find them? One of the dwarves already tried to cross and lost his memories. You can't leave town" She turned to David "No one can leave town."

"Just tell them about _him." _A soft voice said coming out of the back. It was a woman with dark hair and pretty blue eyes. Some of the nice doctors at the hospital when tot all the rooms and they found Belle. Belle was staying at Granny's and then she found Rumple. Rumple looked at her trying to tell her not to tell them about his _boy._

"Who's him" Snow asked softly. It was someone awfully important to Rumplestiskin.

Belle looked at Rumple seeing if he'd answer. "Rumple, they want what you want. Their child back. You're all parents and you've all been separated from your children for far too long."

"You have a child?" David asked. "And their here in this world."

Rumple nodded. "Baelfire, he's my son. I…that's who I'm trying to find. He's here in this world. And before you ask, I know he is, because he asked me to come to a land without magic long ago and I was …too scared. Too corrupted."


	5. If I Told You

_Tallahassee Preset Day_

After Emma finished feeding Henry. Neal took over to star the bedtime routine for Henry and then after Henry would sleep, he and Emma would spend some time together. Just to be Neal and Emma and not mama and papa for a few hours or until Henry woke up or fussed whichever came first.

After Neal came home and Emma finished feeding Henry. They would spend some time on the couch and then Neal would get Henry ready for bed, while Emma did some stuff for herself. Emma was walking back towards her and Neal's room when she heard Neal softly speaking to Henry telling him a story.

Emma sat down quietly outside Henry's room, so she could here the story Neal always told him. It was the same one about a boy named Baelfire.

Neal had Henry cuddled up to him as he told his story to his son. "Once upon a time, in a world far away from this one. There was a young boy who was the light of his papa's life. The boy's name was Baelfire. Balefire's papa was a good man, they didn't have much but they had each other and that was enough for young Baelfire.

But one day Baelfire was going to be summoned away to a war far from the frontlands, due to the duke their wanting kids to fight his wars for him. So, Balefire's father got there things together so they could go somewhere where he could keep his boy safe. Balefire's papa finds a way to keep Baelfire from the war but in the end Baelfire lost his papa. So Baelfire insisted to his papa to go somewhere new, a whole new world where no one knew them and they could start over and at least they'd be together. The papa agreed but got scared and Baelfire and his papa lost each other after all. "

Neal was never sure why he told Henry this story. He could just tell him regular fairytales but maybe it was partly for Neal so he wouldn't completely forget where he's from. Neal stood up from the rocking chair and put Henry into his crib. As he did that Emma quietly slipped into their room to slip into bed and wait for him.

She was curious and why he never ended it on a happy note. She tried not to ask because he never really knew she sat there listened but tonight she decided she wanted to know what happened to Baelfire after leaving his home and his father.

Neal walked into his room and saw Emma already snuggled into he covers. He smiled at her and then changed into his pajamas. As he climbed in bed. She snuggled closer to him. "So…whatever happened to Baelfire?" Emma asked with a small smile looking up at him.

Neal looked down at her. "Are you spying on my time with Henry?" Emma nodded not at all ashamed. Neal couldn't help but laugh "Well," he started as his hand stoked her arm up and down gently. "Baelfire was searching for many years in a world he knew nothing about and he decided to change his name because in this new world, Baelfire was a very unique name and he just wanted to fit in. Then a few years after he had left his home, he met a beautiful car thief and then they lived happily ever after." He finished as he bent down to give Emma a soft yet firm kiss. Emma smile was soft as he talked and then grew bigger when he talked about a beautiful car thief. Emma kissed him back and whispered against his lips "I love you."

"I love you too." Neal told Emma tightening his arms around Emma before they both fell into dreamland.


End file.
